Potter County, South Dakota

SD · FIPS 46107 Republican

Located in South Dakota, Potter County has a population of 2,388 residents and a median age of 49.9 years, making it the #3,083 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 6.2%. The median home value is $121,300, and the median household income is $72,045, which is 4% below the national median.

2,388
Population
#3,083 of 3,222
$72,045
Median Income
-4.1% #1,045 of 3,222
49.9 years
Median Age
+28.3% #232 of 3,222
6.2%
Poverty Rate
-51.0% #124 of 3,222

Demographics

Potter County has a population of 2,388, making it the #3,083 most populous county in the US. The median age is 49.9 years, which is 28.3% above the national median.

Population Trend

Rankings →

Year-over-Year Population Growth

Age & Sex Distribution

Race & Ethnicity

Nativity

98.7%
Native Born
1.3%
Foreign Born

Geographic Mobility (Past Year)

Economy

The median household income in Potter County is $72,045, ranking #1,045 out of 3,222 counties — 4.1% below the national median. The poverty rate is 6.2% and unemployment stands at 2.6%.

Income#1,045
$72,045
-4.1%
vs nation
68th percentile
Per Capita#829
$39,966
-3.1%
vs nation
74th percentile
Poverty#124
6.2%
-51.0%
vs nation
96th percentile
Unemployment#492
2.6%
-50.8%
vs nation
85th percentile

Income Distribution

Industry of Employment

Occupation

Housing

The median home value in Potter County is $121,300 (-57.0% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,008/mo and the homeownership rate is 81.5%.

Home Value#2,648
$121,300
-57.0%
vs nation
18th percentile
Rent#970
$1,008
-13.3%
vs nation
70th percentile
Homeownership#417
81.5%
+26.6%
vs nation
87th percentile

Household Type

Education

In Potter County, 27.2% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 19.3% below the national average, ranking #993 out of 3,222 counties.

Bachelor's Degree or Higher
27.2% −19.3% vs nation
Rank #993 of 3,222
69th percentile

Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend

Rankings →

Health & Wellbeing

Life expectancy in Potter County is 80.7 years. 12.9% of adults report poor or fair health and 8.3% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).

Life Expectancy#150
80.7
+7.4%
vs nation
95th percentile
Poor/Fair Health#172
12.9%
-34.1%
vs nation
95th percentile
Diabetes#172
8.0%
-28.1%
vs nation
95th percentile
Insufficient Sleep#84
29.6%
-20.7%
vs nation
97th percentile
Poor Mental Health Days#15
4.2
-25.0%
vs nation
100th percentile
Poor Physical Health Days#40
3.2
-27.8%
vs nation
99th percentile
Uninsured Rate#1,283
8.3%
-20.7%
vs nation
59th percentile
Physical Inactivity#463
21.0%
-20.4%
vs nation
85th percentile
Food Insecurity#102
8.5%
-41.0%
vs nation
97th percentile

Substance Use

15.4% of adults in Potter County smoke , 34.1% are obese , and 23.5% report excessive drinking.

Adult Smoking#762
15.4%
-14.2%
vs nation
76th percentile
Adult Obesity#586
34.1%
-10.0%
vs nation
81th percentile
Excessive Drinking#2,762
23.5%
+18.3%
vs nation
12th percentile

Safety

.

Families & Children

11.0% of children in Potter County live in poverty .

Child Poverty#464
11.0%
-42.1%
vs nation
85th percentile

Civic & Transportation

Voter turnout in Potter County is 77.8%. The mean commute time is 16.6 min, which is 40.0% below the national average.

Voter Turnout
77.8% NaN% vs nation
Rank #NaN of NaN
th percentile

Voter Turnout Trend

Mean Commute Time
16.6 min −40.0% vs nation
Rank #3,094 of 3,222
4th percentile

Mean Commute Time Trend

Rankings →

Elections

In the 2024 presidential election, Potter County voted Republican with a margin of 65.1%. The vote was 16.5% Dem / 81.6% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted +1.0 toward Democrats .

2024 REP +65.1%
16.5% 81.6%
Dem 1,298 votes Rep
2020 REP +66.1%
16.4% 82.5%
Dem 1,380 votes Rep
2016 REP +64.0%
16.1% 80.1%
Dem 1,335 votes Rep
2012 REP +50.0%
24.5% 74.5%
Dem 1,381 votes Rep
2008 REP +31.6%
33.5% 65.1%
Dem 1,440 votes Rep

Vote Share Over Time

About Potter County, South Dakota

Potter County, South Dakota has a total population of 2,388, making it the 3,083rd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Potter County is 49.9 years, which is 28.3% above the national median of 38.9 years.

The median household income in Potter County is $72,045, which ranks #1,045 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 4.1% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 6.2%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 2.6%.

The median home value in Potter County is $121,300, 57.0% below the national median. Renters in Potter County pay a median gross rent of $1,008 per month. The homeownership rate is 81.5%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.

In Potter County, 27.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 19.3% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 95.7% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 16.6 min.

Potter County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 93.3% of the population, followed by Two or More Races (2.5%) and Black (non-Hispanic) (1.5%).

All data for Potter County, South Dakota comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.